


Vindicated

by Ormspryde



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M, It's the little things, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 10:11:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7570135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ormspryde/pseuds/Ormspryde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grell Sutcliff couldn't have explained it in words, exactly, but she knew it meant the world to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vindicated

Grell couldn't bring herself to speak, for fear that she would shatter into a million pieces; because, for once, someone _understood_ instead of mocking her.

  
Will was bent over her left hand, concentrating only on her slim fingers and on the little brush he held.  If she'd been feeling more herself - more the mask she put up to keep everyone who could hurt her away - she might have made a fuss about how flattered she was to have such a handsome man's attentions.  But not in this moment.

  
Her right hand, clamped over her mouth, shook; her vision blurred and swam, even through her glasses.  She could only watch as the dark-haired man lifted her fingers one by one and, with exquisite care, swiped the brush up and down her nails, painting them a red as vivid as her hair.  Tears spilled from her eyes, down cheeks flushed with emotion.

  
The man blew gently on her nails to dry the fresh polish, and set her hand in her lap.  He reached up towards her face.  'Give me your other hand, Grell.'

  
Even in her fragile state, she caught the gentle note in his normally flat voice.  For some reason, it made her cry harder.

  
Will's hands were more sure as he painted the nails of her other hand.  He finished quickly and capped the little bottle of polish on her end table, blowing on her nails until the paint was set.

  
He set her right hand in her lap and touched her knee.  'Grell...?'

  
The redhead lifted her hands, staring at the crimson nails on her trembling fingers.  'Oh, Will,' she sobbed, throwing her arms around the other shinigami and holding him tight.

  
He stiffened, but after a stunned moment, she felt his arms come up to encircle her.

  
If pressed, she could not have explained in words what this meant to her; what something that might have been so ordinary to another woman had such power to someone who'd taken a more circuitous route to womanhood.  She could not have explained the meaning of having someone else acknowledge what she was, truly was.

  
Grell wasn't where she wanted to be, and maybe she never would be.  But this felt like a start, and for now it was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> You have no idea the feels I have for Grell. (even though she's a giant nerd)


End file.
